LATROBE, Pa. – Standing on Chuck Noll Field, where Hall-of-Fame careers have been birthed on muggy August days like this one, Ryan Shazier seemed to understand the weight of franchise history placed on his shoulders.

No rookie defender has started a regular-season opener for the Steelers since 2001. Not James Harrison. Not Casey Hampton. Not Troy Polamalu.

Shazier was 9-years-old when Kendrell Bell started the first of 16 games that year at inside linebacker. If the Ohio State product stays healthy he'll be the first in 13 years to earn the distinction when the Steelers host the Browns Sept. 7.

"It means a lot because of the guys who came before you," Shazier told cleveland.com Monday. "It makes you want to follow in their footsteps. You don't want to go somewhere that has a tradition of great players and fall off. You want build on what's been done here before and keep the tradition going."

The honor says as much about the state of the Steelers' rebuilding defense as it does Shazier. The inside linebacker, selected No. 15 overall, is among a handful of first- and second-year players they need to excel in order to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Shazier possesses the speed and athleticism to play alongside Lawrence Timmons. If the 6-foot-1, 237-pounder can shed blocks and withstand the pounding, he gives defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau real options with blitz packages.

A season ago, the left-inside-linebacker position was troublesome for the Steelers, who started four players there including Polamalu, an All-Pro safety.

LeBeau, 76, likes Shazier's range and his productivity. Playing as a weakside linebacker, Shazier led the Buckeyes with 144 tackles while adding seven sacks last season.

"He was usually the prime hitter or one of the assisted hitters on almost any running play," LeBeau said. "I found out why in working with him day to day. He's tremendously quick and he's got as much speed as any linebacker I have seen. Those were the assets we saw and I think they are even stronger than what we identified."

The Pro Football Hall-of-Fame inductee and OSU alum attended Shazier's pro day in which he ran a sizzling 4.36 in the 40-yard dash on March 7. LeBeau would design blitzes for linebackers from Neptune if he thought it might help the Steelers, but takes he extra satisfaction when the player is a Buckeye.

The Steelers defense includes two OSU starters, Shazier and defensive end Cam Heyward, and reserve defensive back Will Allen.

"I used to tell (former Steelers linebacker) Lamarr Woodley and Larry Foote the only two people I ever liked from Michigan were them," LeBeau said. "We're always going to take the best player available, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad when it's a guy from Ohio State."

Over the years, the Steelers have drafted and developed talent so well they rarely needed to rush defenders into the starting lineup. A season ago, however, they tried to rely on rookie outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, a first rounder who produced just one sack and 31 tackles.

The Steelers are hoping youngsters Jones, Shazier and defensive end Stephon Tuitt can bolster a rebuilt unit that finished an uncharacteristic 13th overall in team defense and 25th in sacks.

A group that depended heavily on veterans in recent seasons features just two regulars, Polamalu (34) and cornerback Ike Taylor (34), over age 30.

"It's critical," Heyward said of contributions from Shazier and others. "Us being such a young group we don't have a lot of older leaders to fall back on. We have high expectations. We're not putting guys there to be there. We're looking for full-time players and full-time playmakers."

Shazier impressed in the first week in camp, using his quickness to beat veterans like LeGarrette Blount in a "backers-on-backs" pass-blocking drill.

But coaches didn't seem thrilled about Shazier leaving practice Sunday with a knee injury that coach Mike Tomlin called a "boo boo."

"Sometimes, you got to gut it out in practice, especially if you're a young guy," linebackers coach Keith Butler said. "You don't know what we're trying to do, you're still learning what we are trying to defensively -- which he is. He'll be OK if he can do that."

The rookie said he's learning plenty from Timmons, an eight-year pro. Like so many Steelers who came before Shazier, the veteran linebacker didn't become a starter until his third season.

"Coach Tomlin said I'm similar to Lawrence coming out of college," Shazier said. "Seeing how he's doing and how great he is I want to play next him."

Unlike Timmons or any other Steelers' defender since 2001, Shazier won't be able to ease into his job.

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